Electrical terminal assembly

ABSTRACT

An electrical terminal for connection intermediate the ends of a lead includes a conductive member having a first portion which is deformed in use to grip and make electrical connection to a lead, and second and third spaced portions integral with the first portion and extending generally at right angles to the first portion. The second and third portions are adapted to receive mating connector parts, and the terminal further includes an insulating housing which in use enclosed the conductive member and part of the lead. The insulating housing includes a part which extends between the second and third portions of the conductive member, said part being so shaped that the width of the part increases progressively along the length of the part so that the part wedgingly engages both the second portion and the third portion so as to resist relative movement between the housing and the conductive member.

United States Patent Pater [54] ELECTRICAL TERMINAL ASSEMBLY [72] Inventor: Edward Henry Pater, Bearwood,

1 Warley, England [73] Assignee: Lilly Industries Limited, London,

England [22] Filed: Aug. 25, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 66,698

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Aug. 26, 1969 Great Britain ..42,453/69 52 U.S.Cl ..174/72 R, 29/628, 29/630 F,

174/84 @339/242, 339/276 R 51 Int. Cl. ..H02g 15/08 [58] Field of Search.l74/7l R, 72 R, 84 C, 90, 94 R, l74/8 8; 339/242, 276; 29/628, 629, 630 F [451 Sept. 26, 1972 Primary Examiner-Darrell L. Clay Attorney-Holman & Stern [5 7] ABSTRACT An electrical terminal for connection intermediate the ends of a lead includes a conductive member having a first portion which is deformed in use to grip and make electrical connection to a lead, and second and third spaced portions integral with the first portion and extending generally at right angles to the first portion. The second and third portions are adapted to receive mating connector parts, and the terminal further includes an insulating housing which in use enclosed the conductive member and part of the lead. The insulating housing includes a part which extends between the second and third portions of the conductive member, said part being so shaped that the width of the part increases progressively along the length of the part so that the part wedgingly engages both the second portion and the third portion so as to resist relative movement between the housing and the conductive member.

3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEDSEPZB I91 3,694,564

- SHEET 1 OF 2 FIGZ.

. I JINVENTOR WW PM ATTORNEYS angles to the first portion, the second and third portions being adapted to receive mating connector parts, and the terminal further including an insulating housing which in use encloses the conductive member and part of the'lead, the housing including a part which extends between the second and third portions of the conductive member, and said part being so shaped that the width of the part increases progressively along the length of the part so that the part wedgingly engages both said second portion and said third portion so as to resist relative movement between the housing and the conductive member.

One example of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein FIG. 1 is a part sectional view of a terminal,

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 2- 2 in FIG. 1 with parts thereof omitted for clarity, and

.FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the terminal assembled to a lead, with the housing open;

FIG. 4 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the device of FIG. 3 when the insulating housing is in the closed position.

I Referring to the drawings, the connector includes a conductive member 11 including a base 12 having a pair of arms 13 extending downwardly therefrom. The arms 13 are crimped around a bared portion of a cable 14 so that the arms 13 grip and make electrical connection, to thecable. Extending upwardly from the base in spaced parallel relation to one another are a pair of limbs 15, 16 which are integral with the base 12, and each of which includes a pair of terminal blades 17. Thus, further conductive leads carrying socket connectors at one end, can be engaged with the terminal blades 17 so that the further leads are electrically connected to the cable 14 through their respective socket connectors and the member 11. In order to protect the member 11 in use, there is provided a moulded synthetic resin housing 18. The housing 18 is in two parts, which are substantially mirror images of one another and which are interconnected along one edge by an integral hinge 19. The housing 18 is preferably moulded in polypropylene, and the hinge 19 is constituted by a tin web of polypropylene integral with both halves of the housing.

Adjacent the edges of the two parts of the housing remote from the hinge 19, the two parts are formed with interengaging latch means 23,24 (vide: FIG. 3) for retaining the housing closed. Each part of the housing further includes an integral block 21, the blocks 21 extending towards one another between the limbs 15,16

of the member 11 when the housing 18 is closed. The side walls of the block 21 are formed with ribs 22 which extend parallel with the limbs 15,16. The ribs 22 are arranged in sets along the length of each of the blocks 21, and the heights of the ribs 22 increase progressively from a minimum adjacent the free end of each of the blocks 21 to a maximum where the blocks 21 join the $21128 ti ioi lii lieitlbiitagfii n fiffiiliifihii diameter adjacent the free ends of the blocks to a maximum diameter adjacent the walls of the housing parts. The arrangement is such that when the housing is closed, the blocks 21 extend between the limbs 15,16 of the part 11, and wedge between the limbs 15,16 the ribs on opposite sides of the blocks 21 engaging the limbs 15,16 respectively, so that the risk of the housing 18 rattling against the member 11 in use, owing to relative movement between the connector 1 1 and the housing 18, is minimized. The manner in which the blocks 21 wedge between the limbs 15 and 16 of the conductive part 11 is illustrated in FIG. 4.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An electrical terminal assembly for connection to a conductive lead, said assembly comprising: a conductive member having a first portion for deformation about the conductive lead, gripping and making electrical connection to said lead, the conductive member having second and third spaced apart portions integral with the first portion and extending generally at right angles to the first portion, the second and third portions each defining means to receive mating connector parts, the assembly further including an insulating housing means which encloses the conductive member and part of said lead, the housing means including on an inside wall thereof at least one projecting part extending into the space between said second and third portions of the conductive member, said projecting part being so shaped that its width increases progressively along the length thereof from its free end towards the inside wall of the housing, said projecting part wedgingly engaging said second portion and said third portion of the conductive member whereby said projecting part resists relative movement between the housing means and the conductive member.

2. An electrical terminal assembly as claimed in claim I wherein said projecting part has a plurality of ribs on each of the side walls of the part, the height of the ribs increasing progressively along the length of the part towards the inside wall of said housing so as to wedgingly engage said second and third portions.

3. An electrical terminal assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said insulating housing means is in two substantially mirror image-like complementary halves having means to secure said complementary halves together, and wherein the housing means includes two said projecting parts, each projecting from a different one of said complementary halves. 

1. An electrical terminal assembly for connection to a conductive lead, said assembly comprising: a conductive member having a first portion for deformation about the conductive lead, gripping and making electrical connection to said lead, the conductive member having second and third spaced apart portions integral with the first portion and extending generally at right angles to the first portion, the second and third portions each defining means to receive mating connector parts, the assembly further including an insulating housing means which encloses the conductive member and part of said lead, the housing means including on an inside wall thereof at least one projecting part extending into the space between said second and third portions of the conductive member, said projecting part being so shaped that its width increases progressively along the length thereof from its free end towards the inside wall of the housing, said projecting part wedgingly engaging said second portion and said third portion of the conductive member whereby said projecting part resists relative movement between the housing means and the conductive member.
 2. An electrical terminal assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said projecting part has a plurality of ribs on each of the side walls of the part, the height of the ribs increasing progressively along the length of the part towards the inside wall of said housing so as to wedgingly engage said second and third portions.
 3. An electrical terminal assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said insulating housing means is in two substantially mirror image-like complementary halves having means to secure said complementary halves together, and wherein the housing means includes two said projecting parts, each projecting from a different one of said complementary halves. 